Wednesday, January 25, 2012

REVIEW: From The Mouth Of The Sun - Woven Tide

From the Mouth of the Sun marks the first time the visions of musicians Aaron Martin and Jag Rosenqvist (Jasper TX) come together. If you know the background of each of these artists, this collaboration is no surprise. For years Martin and Rosenqvist have sculpted their work in the ambient scene with the same brand of wintry soundscapes, each taking their own approach. Martin strips his work of limitation, using the language of music at its most free and expressive, following the unbounded voice of his cello. Rosenqvist flirts with realtime layering and organic beats, retaining a more Classical form. These aesthetics merge on W'oven Tide' to create an album that reigns among the pair's greatest works.

On 'Woven Tide', we are immediately thrown into a place far from home. “The Crossing” paints a surreal world full of white noise and melancholic drones, but the pastoral strings give the song an eerie familiarity. All familiarity is thrown out the window, however, on “Color Loss.” A claustrophobic Industrial beat layered against a spectral voice stretching like a wind instrument sounds so otherworldly it's scary. Imagine a futuristic, industrial wasteland, and you're on the right track. “Like Shadows In An Empty Cathedral” abandons any staunch Minimalism. Droning organs punctuated with epic brass leads mimic the scope of Sigur Ros, until the intimacy maintained on the rest of the album pulls through with whirring violins and bands of static. A mythic, majestic landscape fading into the dark fog is all that comes to mind.

It's crucial to mention 'Woven Tide' began as a soundtrack for the film, 'Remember Me, My Ghost'. I'm not positive on the documentary's subject, and honestly, this album doesn't give much insight. Its array of aesthetic investigations give us a world of worlds, but without the guideline of the film, the story behind 'Woven Tide' lies hidden. View From The Mouth Of The Sun's debut as a template for your own movie; that's the best way to enjoy it. Fall back, listen, and paint the scenes in your head. You're bound to be taken on a journey.

Standout Tracks: Pools of Rust, Sitting In A Roofless Room, Like Shadows In An Empty Cathedral